Arrow fletching device



May 27, 1958 E. H. HoYT, JR

ARROW FLETCHING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4Filed. April 15, 1955 May 27, 1958 E. H. HoYT, JR 2,836,208

' ARROW FLETCHING DEVICE Filed April 15, 1955 2 4Shees--S'neet 2 United States This invention relates to a device for accurately positioning and holding feathers against an arrow shaft while gluing.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a generally new and improved arrow iietching jig of simple and inexpensive construction and dependable operation with which the semi-skilled operator may accurately position and glue three or more feathers to an arrow shaft at one time.

A further object is to provide' an arrow fietching jig of novel construction which is universally adaptable to accurately position and hold a plurality of either right or left wing feathers for either straight or spiral style fletching.

A further object is to provide novel means in an arrow etching jig for quickly and accurately aligning and clamping arrow shafts of varying diameters in position for either spiral or straight style etching.

A further object is to provide novel means in an arrow fletching jig for slidably receiving and retaining the feather clamps in proper position with relation to the arrow shaft.

A further object is to provide a feather clamp which is efficient, light in weight, and of simple and inexpensive construction.

A further object is to provide a multiple lietching jig for arrows which is mounted for rotation about the arrow axis so that the angularly spaced points about the arrow at which feathers are to be attached may be consecutively moved into a position of convenience for the operator.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent upon reading the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a top plan view of an arrow etching device constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a right end elevational View of the device;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged left end elevational view of the frame showing the arrow shaft centering and clamping device in the position of clamping a relatively small diameter arrow shaft;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing the clamping device of Fig. 4 in the position of clamping a relatively large diameter arrow shaft;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4; l

Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view with the feather clamps removed and is taken on line 7 7 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view with one of the feather clamps removed and is taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 9--9 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 10-10 of Fig. 7;

latent O Fig. ll is a side elevation of the nock end centering element;

Fig. 12 is an end elevation of the noch end centering element;

Fig. 13 is a side elevation of the feather clamp;

Fig. 14 is a bottom plan View of the feather clamp shown in Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view of an arrow shaft with a feather attached thereto showing the natural curvature of wing feathers used in fletching;

Fig. 16 is a cross-sectio-nal detail view showing the relationship of the feather clamp to the center line of the arrow shaft;

Figs. 17 and 18 are side and end views of the nock end centering element showing the manner in which cuts are made to provide the centering surfaces;

Fig. 19 is a left end elevational view of the frame showing a second form of the arrow centering and clamping device, and

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line Ztl- Ztl of Fig. 19.

The device comprises a rigid frame having triangular end plates 1t.) and 12 which are spaced and rigidly fixed in parallel relationship by three parallel, shouldered rods 14 which have reduced screw threaded ends extending through clearance holes in the end plates and receive acorn nuts 16. The end plate 12 has an aperture 1S which receives the reduced portion 20 of a sleeve member 22. see Figs. 9 and l0. Lying against the inside of end plate 12 is a disc member 24 having a central aperture which receives the further reduced end portion 26 of the sleeve 22. This further reduced end portion 26 extends through disc 24 and is formed over as at 28 so as to rivet the disc 24 securely against the shoulder of the sleeve formed by the second reduction in diameter. The sleeve and disc, therefore, rotate together and are journalled in aperture 18 in the end plate.

The disc 24 carries a screw 3i) which projects through the end plate and travels in an arcuate aperture 32 in the end plate as the disc and sleeve are rotatably adjusted. A knurled nut 34 on screw 30 is provided to clamp the disc firmly to the end plate in an adjusted position. A shouldered rivet 36 carried in the disc 24 and traveling in a diametricaly opposed arcuate aperture 3S insures that the disc remains at against the end plate at all times.

The sleeve 22 receives therein a cylindrical, nock end centering element 4t? which is longitudinally and rotationally adjustable in the sleeve, andra set screw 42 is provided to lock the element in any adjusted position. The element 4@ has a bifurcated inner end for receiving a conventional arrow nook indicated at 46. The bifurcated end of the element is formed s0 as to present two pairs of nook centering surfaces for centering the arrow noch and, consequently, for centering the end of the arrow shaft 48 to which it is attached. The surfaces 59 of one of the pairs of centering surfaces diverge inwardly in one plane from the end of the element and are engaged by the side 52 of the nock bow string slot, as indicated in Fig. 1U, to center the arrow shaft in a tiret plane. The other pair of nock centering surfaces, indicated at 54 in Fig. 9, converge inwardly from the end of the element with respect to a plane lying at to the rst said plane and are engaged by the side 56 of the nock to center the arrow shaft in this second plane which lies at 90 to the rst said plane.

Figs. 1l and 12 show side and end views of the element 40, and Figs. 17 and 18 show side and end views of the element placed in a tilted position for the purpose of more clearly illustrating thearrangement of the two pairs of centering surfaces. One simple method of constructing the element is to make two V cuts at the end of a cylindrical rod along the lines 56 at an acute angle spot welding.

stampedV out, formed up guide elements 62 for position!V i rivets 66, Vone end of a formed 'leaf spring 68.

to the rod axis, as indicated in Fig. 17, with a V-formed milling'cutter or abrasive wheel. Obviously the element could also be formed as a casting of suitable metal or plastic materiah Y. Y

Lying against the inside surface of the end platefl is a second disc 58 which isxed to the end plate as lyy Both discs'24 and 58V are provided,V with ing the feather clamps. These vguide elements havesurfaces 63 adapted to be engaged by`one bladegof the feather. clamps.

shown 'arranged at 120 ap'art, and it will Vbe noted that Vthe guide elements on one disc are offset to one side. of'

vrthe spring bears llatly against theY blade ofthe feather ,clamp` substantially thev full length of the guide element, as indicated inV Fig. 8.

Mounted on the outside surface of the frame end plate'V 1G is an arrow centering and clamping device, generallyV indicated at 7,6,.forY clamping arrow shaftsV at an intermediate point i'n such manner. that the axis of an arrow shaft, regardless Yof its diameter, Y, will always coincideVV witha longitudinal center line passing through the cen,

These surfaces 63 extend parallel'fto radial line passing through the disc center', butV are offset from vthe radial line by'ran amount equal to the thickness of'one blade of the featherY clamp, as indicated in Figs.'k

Y7 and S. The three guide elements 62 on each disc are Vaeeaans dered rivet 83 passing through the clamp blades and the bracket. The rivet 88 is'movable along slots 90 -in' the clamp blades and a slot 92 in the bracket as the blades are pivoted.

A second form of arrow clamp is shown in Figs. i9

and 20. ln this form a pair of horizontally guided, angle members 94, each having a horizontally arranged,V Vf groove 96, cooperate to align the-axis of an arrow shaft with a line passing through the centers of discs 24 and 53.

The angle members 94 have horizontal legsY which are guided between' upper and lower horizontal legstof angle guide Ymembers 98 and vlllb, andthe apices of the `V- grooves 96 are, therefore, always on a horizontal center line through the discs. Y A pair of levers 102 pivoted at Vpoints 194 each have aleg extending upwardly from its pivot point, which' leg is pivotally connected at 166 .to one of the horizontally slidable members acting between the handles 108V tobias them Vapart constantly urges vthe horizontally guided members 94 toward each other to center and clamp lan arrow shaft placed" therebetween.Y Y p Y Y The levers 192 have overlapping portions M2, and a shouldered rivet 114 passingV through Athev overlapping portions 112 and the vertical leg lio of the lower guide member retains the levers lili in parallel rrelationship with'the kend plate. The rivet is movable in slots in the overlapping lever portions and in theclower guide member, and pivots Irt are slidable in slots formed in ters of discs 24VV and 58. The clamp'7ll comprises ay pair ofY overlapping Ybladesfwhch areY piyotally Vmounted. Vat an intermediatefpointon spaced pivots 74 carried on an outwardlyrformed bracket 76 which is form'edas 'part of'endplate 10.V Each of the bladest'has Va portion 78 Y 'Y extendingrdownwardly Vfromits vpivot point, which portion is formed as anhandle, and each'of the blades Vhas .Y a portion 80 extending' upwardly fromits pivot point. YA

formed Vspring 82 biases the vhandle portions178 apart Y and the upper overlapping portions 8b towards each other. Each of Vthe upperblade portions'Sll has a pair of adjacent inner surfaces '84 and S6 forming anl internal angle of 60; "The two pairs of surfaces or blades 80 1 Vcooperate to engage'and Vclampan arrow shaft placed .therebetween at three points.

Referring toV Fig'. 4,'the clamping device `is shown in the position Vit assumes when clamping an arrow shaft of pre'-VV Vdetermined diameter. In this'jposition, the surfaces 84 forman included angle of 60, which is bisected by a vertical line passing through the center of Idisc 58, and

V" apart. Also, inthis position the surfaces S6 are Y horizontalrandforrnpwith the surfaces `84 an equilateral'* triangle wherein Ythe arrowshaft is engaged at'three points, two points Yof, which lie 120 Vapart'and a third .f l VYpoint which .lies V12(7)""7fromV eachof the said two points.

Y When a largerY diameterarrow i'splaced in the clamp,

:the'included angle between surfaces Safincreases, `and the horizontal surfaces 86 are inclined'so thatthe points the sliding members 94 when the levers itil rare Vrotated Yabout'thei1'-pivotsl The upper and lower angle 'guidel to the frame'V members 98V and YHill are'rigidy'attachec. end plate by bolts 118 and spacers 12d...

' One of three similar feather clamps, generallyY indicated` at 122 in Figs..l to 3, is shownin detail in Figs. 13,v

n 14and 16'.V T he clamp consists of a pair of blades'l2'4 and 126 lying side byside. he blades are spaced slightly Y Y prevents their slipping olf the blades, while at the same;y n Y vcontact the periphery .of the arrowat two points lying,V

fill

' to oneside `of the main body ofthe blade by an'v amount equal tothe thickness ofthe blade. With this provision and with the provisionY before described ofotlsetting the at theirupper'edges yby a pair of'longitudinally spaced' balls 128 lying between the blades and partiallyY entering i holes in the adjacent blades, which holes are slightly ksmaller than the diameter of the ball. A pair of formed Y Y, spring clips 130 extending over the.- upper edges of V,the blades and havingtheir ends bearingV opposite.y uponr the blades vat a point below the balls'lZS act to hold the plates together and constantlyy urge'the bladesv topivot v about the balls 123 in a Vdirection tomove the lower free edges of the blades together. The blades are made of relatively thin materialto minimize weight, and Vin,

order to achieve Vthe desired rigidity, they Vare eachV pr'ovided'with an outwardly formed, longitudinal rib 1.32.'

Theends of spring clips 134i extend over thepribs y132` and engage the hat surfaces ofthe blades slightly therebeyond.'

This arrangement Yretainsthe spring clips in'alignmentand time, they may be convenientlyfassernbled on'theblades Vby slipping them on longitudinally from the ends of the Y. blades. Each ofthe blades is provided Ywith an integrally VYformed handle portion'i34 at its Vupper edge,

land

rl`he blade 1,24 Vis'vslightl'y longer than blade V1 extends beyond blade 126 at both ends thereof. Theser p extending ends of the longer blade r124 Vare received be`` 1 t Y tween the guide elements 62'and thesprings 68 when" mounting the feather clamp. 1 n n Y Referring to'Fig.- 14,V Athe longer clamp blade=12r4rhas aV Vleft end'portion.136"which1is formed so as to be oiset,

guide elements 62of-disc2l andY disc 53 on opposite sides of Vthe `120 spaced radial lines by an amount equal totthe I ,Y Y thickness of a clamp blade, itrwill beV seen that theinner face of clamp blade 124 will always lie jonlthe center"Y line or radial lletc'hing line whetherrit isfin'tlielposition;

Each ci the levers 162 also has'a portion 16,8 extending; down wardly'from itspivot point,V which portion is formed at Vright'angles to provide a handle. A formed spring'll shown in Fig. 14 with the short or free clamp blade 126 on the upper side thereof or if ends are switched so as to place the free clamp blade 126 on the lowerV side thereof.

In Fig. 15 the natural curvature of a wing feather 138 attached to an arrow shaft 48 is indicated. This natural curvature is opposite for right and left wing feathers. In order that the feather may, as a whole, be positioned so as to lie as nearly as possible on a radial line, the feather is placed between the feather clamp blades with its concave side lying against the inside face of the fixed or guided blade 124, as indicated in Fig. 16. From the foregoing, it will be seen that the clamp may be switched end for end to accommodate left or right-hand wing feathers. This arrangement refers only to straight style iletching. i

In spiral style fletching, the feather clamp shown in Fig. 13 is twisted about a longitudinal axis by forming so that the lower free edges of the blades conform to the surface of the arrow shaft along the desired pitch line and so that the blades extend truly radially at all points along the pitch line. ItV will be apparent that in a feather clamp so formed the opposite ends of the clamp blades will lie at an angle to each other. To provide for this, the '.thumb screw 34 is loosened and disc 24 is rotated so as tto rotate the clamp guides 62 thereon with relation to the clamp guides 62 on disc 58 an amount suicient to accommodate the pitch of the twisted or spiral formed feather clamp. Spiral formed feather clamps are not reversible, and left and right-hand spiral formed clamps must be provided for left and right-hand wing feathers.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, an arrow shaft 48 is shown centered at its nock end and clamped at an intermediate point by clamp 79. For the purpose of mounting the fletching device in a horizontal position, and so that it may be rotated to consecutively bring the 120 fletching positions within convenient reach of the operator, a stand 140 is provided. The stand has upwardly formed legs 142 which are provided at their upper ends with round bottom slots 144 to receive the nock centering element 46 projecting from one end of the frame and to receive the arrow shaft 48 projecting from the other end of the frame. The stand may be provided with screw holes 145 in its base member for attachment to a work table.

in operation an arrow shaft with a nock attached at one end is placed in the frame with the nock centered in element 4t) and the shaft clamped in clamp 79. The nock end centering element 40 is rotationally positioned relative to the guide elements 62 so that its inwardly diverging surfaces 50 and, consequently, the bow string slot 52 of the nock 46 are precisely perpendicular with the radial line lying adjacent one of the guide elements 62. If the fletching is to be straight style, the disc 24 is rotationally adjusted so that the three radial fletching lines on disc 24 are parallel with those on disc 58. The feathers are then placed in the clamps with the concave sides thereof against the long clamp blade 124. After applying the gluing material to the quill portion of the feathers, the clamps with the feathers therein are consecutively slipped into position with each end of the long clamp blade 124 entering between a guide element 62 and a spring 63. The end plate 10, as well as the disc 58 which is rigidly attached thereto, is provided with a slot 146 to facilitate removal of the arrow shaft after the etching has been completed.

if the tletching is to be spiral form, the disc 24 and centering element 40 are rotationally adjusted together in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction in an amount sufficient to accommodate the pitch of the spiral formed feather clamps, depending upon whether it is to be left or right spiral tietching. From the foregoing, it will be seen that l have provided a simple, inexpensive, and universal arrow etching tool with which the semiskilled operator can readily fletch arrows precisely and rapidly in the style he wishes.

It is recognized that numerous modiiications of my invention will occur to those skilled in the art, and it is the intention that the foregoing description be illustrative of the principles of my invention and not limiting, the scope of my invention being set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a multiple feather, arrow fletching jig, an elongated frame member including means mounted thereon for positioning and holding the end portion of an arrow to be llt-etched on the longitudinal axis of the frame, and means for slidably mounting a plurality of feather clamps in spaced angular relationship about the frame axis comprising a member at each end of said frame, each of which has formed thereon a plurality of radially extending guide surfaces angularly spaced about the frame axis, and a resilient member mounted adjacent each of said guide surfaces and having a portion thereof bearing against the adjacent guide surface.

2. In an arrow etching jig, an elongated frame, a plurality of radial feather clamp guide elements supported at each end of said frame, which guide elements are angularly spaced about the longitudinal axis of said frame, means at one end of said frame including a wedge adapted to be received in the bow string slot at the noch end of an arrow for centering an arrow at that end on the axis of the frame, and means at the other end of the frame for clamping the arrow in a position of alignment with said frame axis irrespective of the diameter of the arrow, said means including a pair of pivoted clamping elements mounted on spaced pivots, which pivots lie on opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of the frame, and each clamping element having a portion thereof movable toward and away from an arrow placed between them for effecting the clamping or releasing respectively of the arrow, spring means biasing said clamping elements rotationally in a clamping direction, and link means connecting said clamping elements to constrain them to rotate equally in opposite directions.

3. In a multiple feather clamp fletching jig, an elongated rigid frame, a plate member at each end of said frame arranged parallel to each other and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the frame, a plurality of radial feather clamp guides on each plate member angnlarly spaced about the frame axis, a nock end centering device at one end of said frame centrally positioned in one of said plate members and mounted therein for rotational and longitudinal adjustment, said centering device including a wedge for entering the bow string slot at the noci; end of an arrow, and said plate member supporting said centering device being mounted in said frame for rotational adjustment about the longitudinal axis of the frame.

4. in an arrow lletching jig, an elongated frame, means for positioning the end portion of an arrow to be fletched on the longitudinal axis of the frame, a feather clamp including a pair of elongated blades lying face to face and hinged along one edge, one of said blades being longer than the other and extending beyond the other at both ends, a radial clamp guide element at each end of said frame for receiving the extending ends of said long clamp blade, said guide elements lying along opposite sides of a radial line through the axis of said frame, and said long clamp blade being offset at one end in the plane of the blade an amount equal to the thickness of the blade, thereby to permit the clamp to be switched end for end to accommodate left or right-hand wing feathers while maintaining a fixed perpendicular relationship between one face of said long clamp blade and said radial line.

5. In an arrow etching jig, an elongated frame, means for positioning the end portion of an arrow to be etched on the longitudinal axis of the frame, a feather clamp mounted in said frame and arranged parallel with and extending radially from the axis of the frame, said clamp and hinged Valong one edge, one of saidrblades being longer than the other and projecting beyond the other at bothrends, a' rigid, radially extending guide surface at each end of said frame, the guide surface at one end kof the frame being on one side of said long clamp blade and the guide surfaceon the other end of theV frame being on the other side of said long clamp blade, whereby said guide surfaces are engaged by `opposite sidesV of said long clamp blade at its projecting ends, and resilient means mounted adjacent each guide surface acting to bias that end of the clamp blade against the, guide surface.

6. ini an arrow etching jig, an elongated open frame having parallel end plates rigidly joined by spaced longitudinal members, a disc member carried by each of said end plates, which disc members each lie face to face with an end plate and have centers lying on the longitudinal center line of the frame, eachof said discs having formed thereona plurality of radially extending guide surfaces, each of whichV is angularly spaced from the V ing a pairY of elongated blades lying face to face, one ofV said blades being longer than the other and projecting beyond the other at both ends, means for hinging said blades along one longitudinal edge, means biasing the free ends ofV said blades together thereby to clamp a faces of an arrow placed between them, guide meansfor guiding said elements in a path lying perpendicular to the frarneaxis, 'and link means connecting'said elements to constrain them to move equally in opposite directions.

9. In an arrow fletching device, an elongated frame, an arrow centering device at one end of :said frame in cluding an element for entering the nock of an arrow thereby to fix the arrow, against rotation, a feather clamp guide member supported'at each end of said frame, each of which members is provided with a plurality of radially extending feather clamp guides angularly spaced about the axis of said centering device, said centering device Yand the feather clamp guide.V member adjacent thereto being mountedY for independent'. rotational adjustment relative to said frame, and means for detachably connecting said centering device and said adjacent feather clamp guide member for joint rotation adjustment relativevto said frame.

Vradial feather clampV guide elements atreach end of said rame supported on said fixed end plates, said radial feather clamp guide elements at each end ofsaid frame being simiiarly spacedV angularly about the longitudinal Y axis of the frame, and said feather clamp guide elements at one end of said frame being carried ona member which is mounted on. the fixed end plate at that end of feather placed between them, and said longer blade hav- Y ing its projecting portion at one end offset in the plane ofthe bladeV an amount equal to the thickness of the Y blade. Y

Sgfn anV arrowetching jig, an elongated frame, means at one end of the frameV for centering the nock end of Van arrow on the longitudinal axis of the frame, and

clamping means at the other end of said frame for engaging an arrowV at an intermediate point thereon so as Y to position the arrow` in'alignment with the longitudinal frame axis, irrespective of arrow diameter variations, and

so as to hold the'arrowl against lateral, longitudinal, and

the frame for rotational adjustment thereon about the longitudinal axis of theframe, whereby the radial'guide elements atthat end of the frame may be anguarly adjusted with respect to the angular guide elements at the other endof'the frame in a manner to accommodate and accurately position left or' 'right-hand spirally'formed feather clamps. Y

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,896,536 Belshaw Feb; 7, 1,945,416V Birchall Ian. 30, 1934 2,286,574 Rhode June 16, 1942'Y 2,337,080 Bitzenburger' Dec. 21, 1943 V2,348,611 Y Davidson V May 9, 1944 2,470,282- Baker. et al. f May 17, 19,49 2,496,109 i Terry 'Jan'. 31, 1950Y 

